Fire-proof curtain



2 S N I K N E u H (No Model FIRE PROOF CURTAIN.

. Patented Feb. 12, 1889.

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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.-

L. E. JENKINS.

FIRE PROOF CURTAIN.

1 7 No. 397,648. Patented Feb. 12, 1889.

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Unrrn Srarns rmer,

LUKE EDWARD JENKINS, OF EA.T BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LOUISA MARIA JENKINS.

FIRE-PROOF CURTAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 397,648, dated February 12, 1889.

Application filed January 9, 1888 Serial No. 260,126. (No model.)

To all 1/:710m 2'2 112,07 con/c0771:

Be it known that I, LUKE Enwnnn JEN- KINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Boston, in the county of Suffolk 5 and State of Massachusetts, have invented Curtains, of which the following, taken in connection with. the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tire-proof ('lrop-curtains for theaters, halls, and other similar purposes, and means for raising and lowering such curtains, as will hereinafter be morefully described, reference I 5 being had to the accompanying drawings,

wherein Figure 'l re n-csents a rear elevation of the improved. curtain and hoisting device. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same. Fig. 3

2o represents a vertical section showing the curtain as lowered, and Fig. et represents a similar section showing the curtain raised.

Similar letters refer to similarparts wherever they occur on the different parts of the draw;

2 5 ings.

a is the stagefloor. b is the proscenium-wall with its opening I), as is usual in theaters or public halls, the.

c is the curtain, which is made of asbestos cloth, so as to render it perfectly fire-proof, i

l as might be the case if they were rigidly seand if so desired it may be wired in the seams to impart additional strength. The upper end of the asbestus curtain is provided with a horizontal pocket, c, in which is loosely in- 3 5 troduced an i rou or metal pipe, (7, that is suspended by means of chains 6 e e from a metal beam, E, laid in or forming a portion of the prosceniuni-wall, as shown. I prefer to use metal chains, as described, for sus pending the curtain when lowered, instead of wire ropes, so as to prevent liability of kinking, which might occur if wire ropes or wires were used for this purpose. At the lower edge of the curtain c, I make likewise a horizontal pocket, 0, in which is loosely introduced the metal pipe (1, as shown. Between the upper and lower ends of the curtain-say, about two-thirds from the top of the whole height of itI make another horizontal pockct,c

in which is laid loosely the metal pipe cl, as

shown. To said pipe cl are attached the hoisting-ropes, hereinafter to be described, by which arrangement the curtain is caused to be looped or folded when raised to its high- 1 est position, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to be out new and useful Improvements in Fire-Proof of sight from the auditorium when not in use. By the use and employment of an intermediate pipe, cl", to which the l'ioisting-ropes are attached, the curtain can be raised and lowered with a minimum of travel. of the hoisting-ropes on account of the curtain being by such means folded or doubled up where said pipe is located, as shown in Fig. 4.

I wish to state that I do not desire to COD- fine myself to the use of a single pocket, 0 and its metal pipe cl between the top and bottom edges of the curtain, as two or more may be used, according to the height of such curtain, without departing from the essence of my invention. The object of the aforesaid 7o horizontal pockets 0' c" c and their respective metal pipes (Z cl d" is to allow said pipes to expand freely in case of a tire without i11- terfering with the fire-proof asbestus curtain, thus keeping the latter perfectly smooth, no matter how much the said metal pipes will be expanded by a fire on the stage, and as said pipes are resting loosely in the said pockets they may be heated in case of a fire without any liability of bending or twisting, 8o

cured to the curtain.

To the stage-fioor, or to the rear of the proscenium-wall, I- secure a pair of metal bars or guides, f f, one at each side of the proscenium-opening and at a distance back of the prosceniunrwall suflioient to permit the lower end of the curtain and its pipe d to pass between such guides and the rear portion of the proscenium-wall, for the purpose of keeping the lower end of the curtain close up to the rear side of the proscenium-wall when the curtain is lowered, and thus cause a close connection between the curtain and the rear portion of the proscenium-wall in 5 case of a tire on the stage, so as to prevent the heat and lire on the stage from reaching the auditorium.

For the purpose of guiding the upper portion of the curtain in its rise and descent, I

attach to the rear of the prosceniunnwall above the highest point to which the curtain is to be raised apair of metal wires, 9 gone on each side of the curtainwhich wires pass through the stage-floor and have weights 9 attached to their lower ends for the purpose of keeping them taut; or they may be stretched in any other well-known or equivalent manner. To the sides of the upper portion of the curtain I secure metal rings g g, through which the metal stays or wires 9 9 pass loosely for the purpose of holding the curtain in close proximity to the rear of the prosceniuiwwall when the said curtain is lowered, as shown in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of hoisting and lowering the fire-proof curtain I attach in a suitable manner to the metal pipe (Z'the lower ends of the hoisting-ropes h h 7L 72 which are carried upward over the pulleys h h h h, and guide-pulleys h" h h h to the drum 7c of the hoisting apparatus, which latter may be made of any desired construction and operated by hand or steam or other power, as may be convenient, according to circumstances, said drum being preferably divided by means of rings or flanges 7t" ii) in partitions equal to the number of hoisting-ropes, as shown in Fig. 2. The hoisting-drum 7- has its shaft journaled in bearings in frames It" 713", as is common. in winches, and is provided with a gear-wheel, 7& the teeth of which mesh in a pinion secured to the shaft 7;, provided with a wheel, 7: having a crank, it, secured to it, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By turning the crank 7c" the drum k is rotated for the purpose of raising the curtain whenever so desired.

To one of the frames 7;" of the hoisting device is pivoted at Z the brake-lever Z, provided with a brake-shoe, l, which is normally held in frictional contact with the wheel by means of the weight Z and rope Z one end of which is attached to the lever Z and the other end attached to the weight Z as shown in Fig. 1, by which arrangement the hoisting device is locked in position, so as to hold the curtain in its raised position until the rope Z' is cut or the weight Z removed from said rope Z, when the curtain is liberated and allowed to descend whenever so required.

The curtain may be instantly lowered by the man in charge of the hoisting apparatus by means of the following mechanism: To the frame It is pivoted the releasin g-lever m at m, the rear end of which lever is made to bear against the rear end of the brake-lever Z by the depression of the treadle m", that is pivoted to the frame 7t" or other stationary object, and is provided with a link or red, m connecting it with the forward end of the releasing-lever m, as shown in Fig. l, and. it will thusbe seen that if it is desired. to instantly lower the curtain this may be done either by removing the weight Z cutting the rope Z, or depressing the treadle-lever m", as may be found be depressed, as occasion may require.

most convenient. is desirable that it should be accomplished with moderation, so as to prevent its sudden and unchecked descent, and for this purpose I attach to the rear end of the brake-lever Z a spring, a, the lower end of which is adj ustably secured to the frame of the hoisting apparatus or other stationary object by means of a nut, 21/, or equivalent adjustable device, by which arrangement a normal frictional resistance is made to bear against the wheel It, so as to prevent the too sudden descent of the curtain in case the rope Z should be cut, the weight Z" be removed, or the treadle-lever m" The hoisting-ropes 7: h 7:. 71 pass loosely through metal eyes D D D D, secured in a suitable manner to the upper pipe, (1, as shown in the drawings, and it will thus be seen that when the ropes 7L h are first raised the pipes d d and the portion of the curtain between them are raised equally with said hoisting-ropes, and the portion of the curtain between the pipe 6 and pipe (1 is folded, as shown in Fig. 4:, until the pipe reaches the upper pipe, (Z, and the eyes D D thereon, when by the continuous upward motion. of the ropes h 7t the folded curtain and its pipes d 0 (1 are raised sufticiently to cause the lower pipe, (1, and the lower portion of the folded curtain to clear the upper portion of the opening in. the proseeniuni-wall, as shown in Fig. 4, in which position the curtain will be held by the action of the weight Z rope Z", brake-lever Z, and its friction-shoe Z, as shown in Fig. 1.

If it is desired to lowerthe curtain gradually at the close of an act, it is only necessary to depress the treadle-lever m", causing the brake-shoe Z to recede from the wheel k when the weight of thecurtain and its pipes.

will eause'it to gradually descend until the lower pipe, cl, reaches the stage-floor between the guides ff and the rear of the proscenium wall, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The same thing may be accomplished by raising the weight Z if so desired.

In case of a fire on the stage the curtain may be lowered by the depression of the treadle-lever m by raising the weight Z or by removing it from the rope Z or, in an emergeney, by cutting the rope Z, in which case the spring or will act 011 the lever Z and its shoe Z and hold the latter with suificient pressure against the wheel k to prevent the curtain from falling too quickly, and thus preventin any undue strain on the curtain or its sup porting ropes an d chain s while it is being lowered. \Vith this my improved curtain and mechanism for quickly lowering the same I claim that any fire occurring on the stage can be confined thereto without spreading to the auditorium for a time sufficient for the audience to leave the hall or theater in a quiet and orderly manner, without causing a panic, accidents, or holocaust.

In lowering the curtain it What I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim isv 1. The fire proot' asbestus curtain 0, having horizontal upper and lower pockets, 0 c", and metal pipes (Z 67, inserted therein, combined with one or more intermediate horizontal pockets, and metal pipe or pipes (1, and hoistinga-opes connected to the latter, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

:2. The fire-proof asljiestus curtain 0, having lowerhorizontal pocket, 0, and metal pipe 1?, one or more intermediate horizontal pockets, o, and pipe or pipes d, hoisting-ropes 71 h 7 71, secured in theirlower ends to the saidpipe (1 and upper horizontal pocket, r", with its pipe (I, provided with eyes or guides D l'), throughwhich the hoisting-ropes are passed loosely, substantially as set forth and described.

The fire-proof asbestus curtain c, having the upper intermediate and lower horizontal pockets, 0, and c", and corresponding metal pipes (Z, d, and (1, arranged in said respective pockets, as described, combined with the hoisting-ropes 72 72 71 72, guides D D on the pipe (7, and chains 6 c, attached to the upper pipe, (I, and to the metal beam E or other portion of the proscenium-wall, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4-. The tire-proof curtain (2, having the horizontal pockets (1, e, and c, and the metal pipes d, (1, and d, placed therein, and having the hoisting-ropes h 71, arranged and conneeted for operation as described, in combination with the guide-wires g g and rings or l ferrules g g", secured to the vertical edges of l the curtain, substantially as and for the purl pose set forth.

o.- The fire-proof asbestus curtain 0, having the horizontal pockets 0', c", and c, and corresponding metal pipes (Z d" (1, supporting-chains e c, and hoisting-ropes h 72,211- ranged as described, in combination with the hoisting device having the wheel 71:, friction lever and shoe Z Z, adjustable spring a, releasing-lever m, adapted to be actuated by.

the lover m and the weight Z" and rope 1, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The tire-proof curtain 1r, havingthe horizontal pockets and metal. pipes arranged therein, as described, and having the supporting-chains and hoisting-ropes connected to it, as described, combined with a hoisting apparatus having brake lever and shoe H", the adjustable spring n, and rope Z", attached to said brake-lever and provided with a weight, Z substantially as and for the purpose set" forth.

7 The fire-proof. curtain (1, having the horizontal pockets and metal pipes arranged therein, as described, and having the supporting-chains and hoisting-ropes connected to it, as described, combined with the guides f f, for guiding and holdinthelower edge of the curtain in close proximity to the rear portion of the proscenium-wall, substantially in a manner as set forth.

In testimon v whereot' I have sign ed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 3d day of January, A. D. 1888.

LUKE EDYVARD JENKINS. I 

